Hanging baskets that hold plants and flowers are commonly used by homeowners and gardeners on porches, patios, gazebos and other areas around a home or building. However, the use of such hanging baskets is fairly limited because they do require some form of overhead structure for supporting the hanging baskets. Typically, in the case of a porch, for example, a screw hook can be secured within an overhead structure or the ceiling. In such cases, the hanging basket typically includes a series of wires that extend upwardly from the basket and are secured around the downwardly extending hook.
There have been attempts in the past at designing an upright stand or structure for supporting plants. For example, see the disclosures found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 47,664; 37,070; 5,037,049; 4,991,344; and 2,794,554. These patents generally show a support structure that comprises a post, a base for supporting the central post, and a plurality of outwardly directed supports or hangers. There are numerous drawbacks and disadvantages to these plant support structures. Many plant support structures of the prior art have utilized fixed hangers or supports, that is supports that are not vertically adjustable. Thus, in such designs, the supported plants or hanging baskets are always supported in the same fixed vertical position. Obviously, one cannot adjust the hangers or supports to particularly accommodate certain size plants or give one the capability of positioning the plants at various elevations with respect to each other to yield different overall appearances.
In addition, plant stands of the prior art have often been unduly complicated, included many parts, and generally been unstable and unsafe. In the end, they have been expensive and sometimes impractical to manufacture.
Therefore, there has been and continues to be a need for a sturdy plant stand that is practical and relatively easy to manufacture. In addition, it is desirable that the plant stand include a plurality of vertically adjustable supports that can be moved up and down relatively easy and stationed at various heights.